Koreans Pay More

The Chosun Ilbo has just put it to my attention that purchasing a Korean electronic product IN Korea may not be your best bet. It turns out that electronics market dominators Samsung and LG are priced much more expensively in the domestic sphere than abroad. But why? The obvious answer is of course that there is much more competition to be had in other markets, including the United States and China. So Korean companies slash their prices there to entice more buyers. But why do Koreans in Korea stand for this? Apparently, model numbers change from country to country, even though they are attached to the exact same product. So many don't know.


Model no. LN46A550 goes for about $1,500


Model no. LN46A550P1F, sold in Korea, goes for about $2,500

And even if Korean consumers do find out, merchants are likely to explain that their product comes with a 2-year domestic guarantee that other countries don't have on offer. Still, what's to stop someone from getting a friend who lives in the States to buy up an LCD screen and ship it to them in Seoul? Nothing, really.